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There are two separate decisions you will need to make during your application process. Where should you apply? Where do you want to go? You will struggle to differentiate between these two questions at some point. Just trying to get into “somewhere” and confirmation bias could influence you. Use this simple rule to separate these two questions: where you want to go is agnostic of your chances of getting in, where you should apply is not. If you are not sure you want to go to business school, are willing to wait a year if you do not get into your top choice(s), or are unwilling to go to a runner-up choice, your list of schools can be the same for both questions (“Flexible Applicant”). If you are sure you want to business school next year, you definitely need to consider your chances of getting in when deciding where to apply (“Committed Applicant”).

Where do you want to go? There are basically 2 schools of thought: First, go to the best school you can get into. Second, go to the school that is the best “fit”. Determining “fit” is tough, the best schools are a little easier. Take rankings with a grain of salt; remember that if magazines published the exact same list every year, no one would care. They are incentivized to change their rankings every year and publish ridiculous things, like “HBS is #8″ (that’s stupid) and “What is wrong with Wharton?” (absolutely nothing). As far as rankings go, I believe the simpler the better. I am partial to Forbes, which calculates a simple ROI and shares their criteria. Viewing composite rankings (BusinessWeek and US News) only shows you what others think is important, not what you think is important.

Regardless of what the rankings say, you should do your own research. Talk to mentors your respect. Interview leaders in the area you hope to move into. As a general rule: For general management, Harvard and Stanford are your best bet. For finance, Booth and Wharton (throw in Columbia and NYU, if you want to end up in NYC). For marketing, Kellogg is the best choice. For technology, throw in Berkeley and MIT. (If you want to end up in a certain region after graduation, you may also want to add Tuck and Cornell for the Northeast; Ross and Kelley for the Midwest; Duke, UNC, Darden, and Texas for the South, or UCLA for Southern California.)

The second school of thought is about finding “fit”. For this I recommend making a “Fit List” of what is important to you and ranking schools on each item on your list. The best way to experience fit is to do an official school visit (this also has the added benefit of making your application easier). For me, I chose 4 categories (each with several criteria): Lifestyle and Environment, Perception and Salary, Teaching and Curriculum, and Innovation Atmosphere. I then took the added step weight each category and criteria based on its relative importance to me. This was minimally helpful. Essentially, the only value gained from this step was ranking each criterion by importance (not the actual quantitative result, which seemed too arbitrary to be useful).

My Fit List (including Difficulty to Get Into):

Where you should apply? For Flexible Applicants, I recommend narrowing your list to 2-3 schools. This should be the best schools for what you want to do or the top schools on your Fit List. For Committed Applicants (definitely going to B school next year), you should be thinking 4-6 schools. This should be your top 2-3 schools, plus 2-3 “Bumper Schools”. These schools will help ensure you knock down at least one pin. They are still high on your list, but where you will be a very competitive applicant. You should also get at least one application done during Round 1 to ensure that there is time to finish or adjust strategy in Round 2. To find your Bumper Schools, consider creating a two-part metric that utilizes both your personal ranking and difficulty to get into, such as selectivity %. Schools in the South and Midwest such as UNC, Ross, Duke, and Booth, have high selectivity % relative to their perception and brand. Schools in California and the Northeast, such as Berkeley, MIT, and Yale, have low selectivity % relative to their brand.

Ultimately, think of the application process as a “funnel”, where schools attrit at each step. I hoped to get into two schools and allow the admit weekend to be the final deciding factor. For this reason, I chose to submit 5 applications and ended up accepted at three (1 more than I had hoped).

My Application Funnel:

So when you are applying to business school, remember “where you want to go” and “where you should apply” are not the same thing. Where you should apply depends on two criteria: Are you a “Fit Lister” or a “Top Schooler”? And are you flexible in your application process?

Where should I apply to business school?

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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Such relief! I feel very confident about my decisions so far regarding pursuing my MBA at INSEAD. I think back to when I started this journey and how much has been achieved and can only be grateful to God. There were days when my morale was too low to keep on, but I struggled and kept believing that it would all be worth it in the end.

I received a scholarship notification from INSEAD last week and I considered it a big relief. 25% tuition already secured and I am totally excited about this. MBA Funding remains a big challenge among many admitted candidates and can often be a deciding factor in one’s choice of what business school to attend. Unfortunately, the size of the scholarship war chest varies among the top business schools. While US MBAs take the lead in this regard, it is notable to mention how other top non-US MBAs have improved on scholarship funds to attract the best candidates and also increase representation from under-represented minorities.

INSEAD for instance, partnered with Olam International and have launched the INSEAD Olam MBA Scholarship for African Change catalysts. This scholarship is unique in that it covers the full cost of MBA tuition for the awardee, and is probably the highest value scholarship currently being offered by INSEAD. This is sure to attract the brightest African talents to INSEAD, not only for the value being offered but also because INSEAD ranks among the top 5 MBAs globally. Definitely a game-changer. Would be glad to see the number of African admits to INSEAD increase in the coming years.

So back to MBA planning. Still awaiting decisions on a few other scholarships (internal & external) and I am happy with the progress made so far. I am searching passively for housing but would get more active mid-September. I received a promotion at the office last week into a senior manager role and though my family thinks I am in a difficult situation (new role = post-MBA job), I have my mind already made up for INSEAD. I have resumed in the new role and would probably negotiate a leave of absence with my employer as I understand there are no study leaves. Resignation is also an option in the event that this does not happen. I believe there are better opportunities ahead.

Fingers crossed. This week is pregnant with opportunities and good news. I feel it already!

most

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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Oops, sorry. I really meant to update this blog months ago. Somehow, life got in the way. I'm now preparing for my second year (known as EC year) at HBS. A few followers have recently contacted me asking about my b-school experience, so over the next few days/ weeks, I'll be posting various updates, musings, or learnings.

Random musing #1. The section experience is awesome. During your first year, all of your classes are taken with the same group of 90 peers. You sit in the same assigned seat everyday, and the professors rotate (yes, it's kind of like elementary school). One of my concerns in choosing HBS was its massive size. Would I feel lost in the crowd? How could I form meaningful relationships when there are 900 people per year? The section experience takes care of these issues, and the program begins to feel much smaller. Its a unique mix of the resources of a large program, combined with the intimacy of a smaller program.

#2 The case method worksBefore HBS, I took Financial Accounting and Microecon courses at a local university. Not coming from a traditional business background, I wanted to have some insight into these basic principles. Within a few months of finishing those courses, I remembered very little (virtually none) of the details. At HBS, I took courses in a variety of fields. While I don't remember every nuance, I frequently find myself referencing cases. If I say "Apple and Einhorn," "cranberries," "Tesla," or "Martha Stewart," I bet that 90% of my peers would know what I'm talking about. Cases provide a real-life story to put key learnings in context.

#3 Second years are unicornsSecond year students are on completely different schedules than first years, meaning there is very limited interaction. And when I did see them, they always seemed significantly less stressed and with more free time. Especially at the beginning of my first year, they were like unicorns, a bit rare and mythical. I interacted with them a bit through clubs and social activities, but for the most part, first year students tend to stay within their sections. I'm curious to see what life will be like for me this coming year.

I'll post other thoughts in additional posts later. In the meantime, feel free to leave any comments below if you'd like me to discuss a particular area.

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

_________________

Advice, Musings, and Experiences from a member of the HBS Class of 2016http://DefyingGravityMBA.blogspot.com/

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My GSB experience unofficially started with an amazing nine-day trip to Tanzania, in the great company of 14 future classmates, and a few more guests and significant others. The clockwork organization was taken care by the magnificent Benjamin from Dar es Salaam, … Continue reading →

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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It's your time. You've worked hard to get to this moment, and now classes are about to start. Congrats, and welcome to RC year!

I have a few friends who will be joining the HBS class of 2017, and they have recently approached me for advice. I realized that some of this content may be helpful to the larger community, so I'm also posting it here.

1. Make an effort to form more than surface level connections.At the start of your first year, your section will have a million social events. You'll chat with your sectionmates and peers from other sections, and then you'll move on and chat with even moroe people. While it's great to get to know a ton of people, try to have conversations that go beyond the typical questions of "Where are you from?" and "What did you do before HBS?" These are the conversations that you'll remember later.

2. Don't stress about commenting in class.At HBS, 50% of your grade is based on class participation. This means it's critical that you comment regularly in class. Most people suggest trying to comment once in every 2 or 3 classes. Early on, many people try to have the perfect comment. Honestly, there's no such thing. Just say what you believe, and don't be afraid to say something wrong. Your peers are there to support you. Despite the fact that grading is based on a curve, most people aren't actually trying to compete against one another. After the first few weeks, you'll start to understand this better. Also, the quality of comments will progress throughout the year. You don't have to be perfect on day one.

3. It's okay to over schedule yourself, but also take time to relax.Are you interested in 10 different clubs? No problem, join them all. Want to finally try yoga? Awesome, there's a beginners class every Thursday afternoon. You'll probably see me there. Are you considering 50 different career fields? Cool, there are events for all of them. In business school, there are so many opportunities that it can, at times, become overwhelming. But don't be afraid to explore. Joining a club doesn't mean that you have to attend every meeting. In fact, it basically just means that you want to be on their email distribution list. You can then decide how involved you want to be. If you're the type of person that likes to constantly be doing something, that's great. If you're more like me and enjoy some alone time, that's okay too. Take advantage of the unique resources that you'll have for the next 2 years, but also make sure to take some time for yourself.

4. Don't be afraid to ask for help.Everyone at HBS is super smart. At times, however, that can make it challenging to ask for help. When everyone else seems to be understanding something, it's hard to be the person to say "I don't get it." But honestly, you're not the only one thinking it. HBS offers private tutoring (free) for all classes, and the more technical courses like finance and accounting offer weekly review sessions. In addition, your classmates are one of your best resources. If someone says a comment that you don't understand, invite them for coffee after class and chat about how they got their answer. This will help you understand the material, while also being a great way to form deeper relationships.

I also have given random advice about laptops, school supplies, dating, and other stuff, but these seem to be the topics most frequently asked.

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

_________________

Advice, Musings, and Experiences from a member of the HBS Class of 2016http://DefyingGravityMBA.blogspot.com/

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Dropout billionaires have cast serious doubt on the value of an MBA. But I couldn’t have raised my first million without one.

Ten years into my professional career, I was promoted into a director role in a mid-sized company—and was beginning to think about launching my own firm. Still, in meetings people would often assumed I would take minutes, even though I’d been invited for my expertise and ideas. Being treated like a glorified administrator was just one of a handful of experiences that made me realize that, for whatever reason, I wasn’t being taken seriously by my peers.

But despite my frustration, I didn’t feel ready to start a company yet. If even my own colleagues didn’t take me seriously, how would investors? Would I be taking notes instead of elaborating on my business plan?

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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The Stanford interview is an alumni-run interview. You give Stanford your current address and they reach out to alumni in your area to find one that can interview you. Stanford introduces you to the alumnus/alumna that will interview you by means of an email, and the two of you coordinate a date/time to meet up […]

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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The 2015-16 Kellogg Full-Time MBA application features two distinct essay questions. In the first of a two-part series, Beth Tidmarsh, director of admissions for Kellogg’s Full-Time program, reveals how to write a stellar response.

Question 1: Leadership and teamwork are integral parts of the Kellogg experience. Describe a recent and meaningful time you were a leader. What challenges did you face, and what did you learn?

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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The 2015-16 Kellogg Full-Time MBA application features two distinct essay questions. In the second of a two-part series, Beth Tidmarsh, director of admissions for Kellogg’s Full-Time program, reveals how to write a stellar response.

Question 2: Pursuing an MBA is a catalyst for personal and professional growth. How have you grown in the past? How do you intend to grow at Kellogg?

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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My last interview took place at the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University. Since it was my final interview, I had my answers to the general interview questions (“Tell me about yourself” “Why an MBA?” “Why now?” etc.) down cold, and only had to focus on answering the more specific questions regarding Johnson.

The interview was on the Cornell campus, which is obviously very beautiful, but also a bit intimidating. A nice feature of the Johnson interview process is that they offer you the chance to sit in on a live MBA class and/or take a walking tour of the campus while there. I opted for the class, which was very informative in terms of showing me what a typical class session would be like at the school. If you interview at Cornell, I highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity.

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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Thursday we will be launching on IndieGoGo. Check HBSAccept.com or follow me on Twitter @HamiltonDave for launch details!

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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Having come from Indianapolis, maybe the cheapest of the top 20 cities, moving to Boston has been an adjustment for my wallet. Folks coming from New York or San Francisco are excited by Boston’s slightly less expensive cost of living. Here’s the monthly breakdown:

Rent $2634 for 900 sq. ft. 2 Bedroom 1 Bath

Air Conditioning $500 per summer

Parking $299

Car Insurance $100

License and registration $30

Renter Insurance $20

Public Transportation about $4 per person per trip downtown

Uber averages around $18-20, depending on length of trip. Taxis and rides to the airport are more.

Tolls are $1.25 on I-90 every few miles. Tolls to the airport are more expensive.

Direct flight to Indianapolis is $180 per passenger (one way)

Restaurants about $35 for a family of 3 at a moderate restaurant and $60 for a nice dinner out.

Health Insurance Premium is $190 per month for me to keep my current plan, significantly more if I had switched to Harvard’s plan

Groceries $500 for my family of three

Laundry $3.50 per load or $40 per month

Internet, electricity, and trash pickup are included in rent

Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime are $20 per month

We do not have cable

Tuition, Books, and Fees are due up front and are $70,000 per year (luckily offset by sponsorship)

Ticket to HBS party $25 per person

Beer at the local pub $5-7

Having Harvard on your resume after graduation…Priceless (at least I am hoping)

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

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ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors

MBA Acceptance Rate by Undergraduate Major Many applicants may wonder if their undergraduate major impacts their chance of getting into business school. Admissions data suggests that your college major...